Database Info

[09/8/11] Updated Rules Of The Development Section **Please Read, Then Read Again**

I'll get straight to the point....
Despite stickys and forum announcements most of us are still finding ourselves becoming terribly, terribly vexed at the amount of [Q]'s cluttering the dev section...
Therefore, from now on, if you do not follow the rules outlined below, you will be infracted. Break them again and you may find yourself unable to post anything at all on any forum!!
[Q]Surely thats a bit harsh aint it??
[A]Not really....
We've tried to be nice about it but that clearly doesnt work.
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If you cannot read and abide by the simple rules in this sticky then I dont know how you're going to manage to hack your device without running into trouble.​
The Dev section is NOT for asking questions.....
The Dev section is NOT for general topics..........
All threads posted MUST be prefixed with a description of the thread, [ROM] / [Kernel] etc etc.....*
*(Not planning on being particuarly strict on this. You guys (the devs), know how to title a thread.... just a pointer for new devs.)
Basically, unless your thread is to actually release something or discuss something of a very technical and n00b unfriendly nature, it doesnt belong here!
Pretty simple really.....
If you see something that shouldnt be here then PM me....
I will try to check in as reguarly as I can but I have a few sections to keep an eye on and believe it or not, a life outside XDA
Yes thats right, there is life outside XDA

I moved all the stock Roms to the General Section in an effort to keep the Development forums for Developing roms.

zelendel said:
I moved all the stock Roms to the General Section in an effort to keep the Development forums for Developing roms.
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The issues I see with this is 1: it causes fragmentation on where to find ROMs and 2: if the person who put out the ROM decides at a later date to start customizing beyond stock, it is then technically in the wrong section unless they create a new thread in development

beerbaronstatic said:
The issues I see with this is 1: it causes fragmentation on where to find ROMs and 2: if the person who put out the ROM decides at a later date to start customizing beyond stock, it is then technically in the wrong section unless they create a new thread in development
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I will be making a sticky with the links to the stock roms. And sense there really shouldnt be more then one thread for the stock release it will keep things a little cleaner. If they decide to make a custom rom off the stock then they are free to make a thread in the Dev section for the custom rom and its Development. This is the way it is done in the Captivate section that I came from and a few other devices and has worked out pretty well in keeping only Dev related things in the Dev section

zelendel said:
I will be making a sticky with the links to the stock roms. And sense there really shouldnt be more then one thread for the stock release it will keep things a little cleaner. If they decide to make a custom rom off the stock then they are free to make a thread in the Dev section for the custom rom and its Development. This is the way it is done in the Captivate section that I came from and a few other devices and has worked out pretty well in keeping only Dev related things in the Dev section
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Sounds good, thanks for the reply!

Ok guys I am in the process of making Q&A threads in the Q&A section for each rom. Please use these before opening new threads. In an effort to clean up the forums I will be removing out dated threads and cleaning things up. I am hoping this will reduce the clutter in the threads and will help new people find answers easier.

Oh I am so confused. LOL. You are the boss zelendel and I don't want to cross you anymore. So now we have QnA for each ROM, can we not post anything anymore in the Dev's thread? Most everything posted in a Dev's thread is a question of some sort. Can you add this, why did you do this, can you fix this, is this happening to anybody else, and so on.....
What are we allowed to post there? I mean it is so different than almost every other section here on the forum. Cross posters from other sections will continue to post as they always have. I don't want to come across as a dumb butt as I am not. I happen to be an admin and mod on 8 other phone forums. But not developer forums which this is. But to find a ROM I have to look in 2 different sections and ask questions about it in a third. How is this cleaning anything up?

The Q&A threads are for general ROM related questions like how do i flash this, ect. It also saves the kids from having to go around deleting the threads that are used to by pass the 10 post rule just so they can post a question in the dev section. The main ROM threads are for technical discussions. You can still post there but this will remove a lot of the junk from the dev threads.
I use this set up in the captivate section and it was well recieved by users and Developers alike. It kept the dev threads cleaned up and people still could ask their questions without needing 10 posts.
This is test run 2 of this set up. If it works out again then it just may become the norm. One thread to get the ROM and one for questions.

zelendel said:
The Q&A threads are for general ROM related questions like how do i flash this, ect. It also saves the kids from having to go around deleting the threads that are used to by pass the 10 post rule just so they can post a question in the dev section. The main ROM threads are for technical discussions. You can still post there but this will remove a lot of the junk from the dev threads.
I use this set up in the captivate section and it was well recieved by users and Developers alike. It kept the dev threads cleaned up and people still could ask their questions without needing 10 posts.
This is test run 2 of this set up. If it works out again then it just may become the norm. One thread to get the ROM and one for questions.
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Sorry dude but that is not organized at all the post will get lost you should keep all ROM's and posting related to said ROM together. And I was on the Captivate forum didn't work there either IMO..

dpmurphy81 said:
Sorry dude but that is not organized at all the post will get lost you should keep all ROM's and posting related to said ROM together. And I was on the Captivate forum didn't work there either IMO..
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I have to agree this does not seem to make much sense. Instead of keeping all the rom threads together they will now be dispersed among the 4 sub-forums?

Why is the date in not American? I just had to point that out.

Was this really a problem that needed fixing? While yes there were a lot of stupid questions at times, the open discussion about the ROM performance, tips, tweaks, and problems leads to many people who aren't in the development process sharing information with each other and the developers, and leads to everyone being able to help each other figure things out. Now it just seems like people are going to be confused as to where to talk about the ROM, as all the information will be fragmented now. It would make more sense to just rename the Dev section to something like "ROM Development And Discussion" and create a new section with limited access threads that would be like a ROM library and newsletter. That way, one could go there to get the latest downloads and information, and still be able to get help and discuss the ROM in the same place they always have. Of course, this is just my opinion, did you ever think about starting a discussion with everyone to get ideas and opinions on how things should be sorted?
And IMHO, phrases like "Iron Fist" and "only gonna ask once" aren't a quality examples of good people skills. Maybe something like, I dunno, asking someone to make changes to facilitate the move to a new format might work better.

Thank you this was a helpful post, im use to ROM with windows phone new to android

[Q] New Members Can't Post In Developer's Related Thread?

When I tried posting in some of the developer's related thread, I get permission denied because I have less than 10 posts and according to the rules, I can't post in developer's related threads. Why are there quite a few posts that have less than 10 but are still able to post there?
Was a bit disappointed since I have been working and testing a script that I wrote to remove the HTC Sense's recent apps in the status menu that should work with UOT kitchen files that have the status mod activated. It works on mine but want to see if people are willing to test it but since I can't post in the development related threads, looks like I need to wait.

A search would have shown you the many threads about this.
Might want to post it in the apps or general section. Considering the smali changes that are needed it may not work on every rom.

Hahah yes. I tried searching and I couldn't find anything... because I was searching only within the Inspire 4G forums which was just stupid. Anyway as a reference:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1069298
I was mainly curious because certain posters with below 10 posts ask questions in the development threads that should more or less something that belongs in the Q&A thread yet they were able to post there even with limit. Anyways thanks. I will try to see if I should post the script in the apps or general section. And yes this script might not work with every ROM since I have only tested it on Revolution so far. Thank you!

Enternal9 said:
Hahah yes. I tried searching and I couldn't find anything... because I was searching only within the Inspire 4G forums which was just stupid. Anyway as a reference:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1069298
I was mainly curious because certain posters with below 10 posts ask questions in the development threads that should more or less something that belongs in the Q&A thread yet they were able to post there even with limit. Anyways thanks. I will try to see if I should post the script in the apps or general section. And yes this script might not work with every ROM since I have only tested it on Revolution so far. Thank you!
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The reason is they may have posted in there before we put it into effect.

From the thread "last update", the new rule was put into effect somewhere in November 2011 right? There are posts such as these:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20848495&postcount=6234
and many other much more recent ones (some are just a couple days ago) that are in the developer's forum. I guess either they have a moderator that allowed them or something's kind of off.

Enternal9 said:
From the thread "last update", the new rule was put into effect somewhere in November 2011 right? There are posts such as these:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20848495&postcount=6234
and many other much more recent ones (some are just a couple days ago) that are in the developer's forum. I guess either they have a moderator that allowed them or something's kind of off.
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If they joined before the rule was made it allows then to post. We are working on fixing it as it didn't affect everyone.

Ah I see. That explains everything. Thank you!

You have more than 10 posts now lol. I think you just wanted a quick and easy way to get your post count up. HAXX

shugga101 said:
You have more than 10 posts now lol. I think you just wanted a quick and easy way to get your post count up. HAXX
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Lol! I actually honestly did not think about it until I got to almost 10 posts. Either way all is good now as I was able to post the script that I wrote.

Rewarding stupidity?

t1mm0, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
Please Read: New members (those with fewer than 10 posts) are not permitted to post to development-related forums.
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I've been visiting XDA for many years and always find the answers to my questions via searching rather than posting questions.
I've therefore never had the requirement to post in the development section but I do now regarding ICS RC4.
I realize that there are many users who never search and *do* post stupid questions but is there any way for someone like myself to skip the 10 posts?
This isn't perhaps the best titled thread but I kinda feel like this since I'll have to post another 8 stupid threads before I can get to the folk who may know the answer to my question.

If you want to post a question about something related to a ROM, try looking in the Q&A section for the ROM you're using. You can post there without the 10-post limit, and unless you're bringing up a specific bug or have some sort of code to contribute to the item you would be posting under, that section should be able to handle whatever you would need.

New users should really read this I suppose.
I know it makes sense. I just needs an answer quickly

t1mm0 said:
New users should really read this I suppose.
I know it makes sense. I just needs an answer quickly
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If the Q&A isn't getting you where you need to be, you could always try the waters of sending the developer in question a PM. Depending on how swamped they are, you might get the answer you're needing a lot quicker.

It's really a stupid rule. What it should be, is 50 posts to make a thread in the dev section.
Sent from my SGH-I897

I can see the objective of it the rule but yes, 50 posts to start a new thread in the Dev section would make more sense to me.

Agreed. I lurk, learn, and do. And I'm grateful to those who do develop on this platform. But I can't participate because I haven't passed the magic 10-post rule.
And I'm a software developer (not Android) by trade, so I understand what facilitates discussion and what does not, and I have a pretty good idea what are reasonable questions and what aren't.

The purpose of the Dev section is to post about developing not questions that is what the q&a or general

Thread closed
t1mm0 said:
I've been visiting XDA for many years and always find the answers to my questions via searching rather than posting questions.
I've therefore never had the requirement to post in the development section but I do now regarding ICS RC4.
I realize that there are many users who never search and *do* post stupid questions but is there any way for someone like myself to skip the 10 posts?
This isn't perhaps the best titled thread but I kinda feel like this since I'll have to post another 8 stupid threads before I can get to the folk who may know the answer to my question.
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There are specific threads set up in Q&A for most of the ROMs, including ICSSGS RC 4. Post there and you'll be read, and most likely answered.

Q&A section

I have been seeing Questions starting as Topics in the dev section. I think it would help if we had are own Q&A section added to the forum for the A2. It would definitely make the dev section look a lot better and I think it will help people out in general. How do we go about getting one added or who do we contact? I well help get one added in any way that i can if someone could point me in the right direction.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium

If I'm not mistaken it takes so many posts or topics to get a Q&A sections added

Questions should never be in the dev section.... people are posting them in there incorrectly. We really need to report them as we see them, to our Mod and have them moved in this section.

jimbridgman said:
Questions should never be in the dev section.... people are posting them in there incorrectly. We really need to report them as we see them, to our Mod and have them moved in this section.
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Exactly my point. That's why i was trying to get a q&a started. For me its annoying to log into xda and i go to the dev section and see a question posted there. I go to that section for mods, roms, etc like everyone else, not for random questions. I think it would help the new people out if we had a q&a.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium

Just my 2 cents, even we don't have whole separate Q&A section, may be we should have separate Q&A thread on each ROM in general which could takes away the question posts from Development section. (May be OP with details and open for questions, so other user also help not necessarily developers)

tmease1 said:
Exactly my point. That's why i was trying to get a q&a started. For me its annoying to log into xda and i go to the dev section and see a question posted there. I go to that section for mods, roms, etc like everyone else, not for random questions. I think it would help the new people out if we had a q&a.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium
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Yeah I know what you mean, and I was not saying that a QA section was not a good idea, just the WE (those of us that pay attention to the rules, and contribute alot) need to inform the mods, when we see that happening. This will be until we get enough questions and posts in here... remember this phone is just a few months old, and we have only had our own section for a short time, in XDA life... so it will take us a few more months to hit the 2 milestones that we need.

I was just trying to do my part in getting the A2 forums on the right track. Some of the posts are just thrown here and there. I'm not a dev but do have knowledge about Android and would like to help out the new people in whatever way i can. Figured q&a was something i could do since i don't do any major development.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium

Possible solution to non dev posts in dev threads

Would there be any way to have a special membership level in the forum privileges that allows posting in the dev forums, this would force people I.E. general users with questions to read and discover the Q&A forums. To get said privileges someone should simply have to request and agree not to break those rules. Good idea?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app

GinkgoBiloba said:
Would there be any way to have a special membership level in the forum privileges that allows posting in the dev forums, this would force people I.E. general users with questions to read and discover the Q&A forums. To get said privileges someone should simply have to request and agree not to break those rules. Good idea?
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No. Bad idea.
The Dev forums should be locked to anyone who doesn't have special status on XDA (e.g. Devs, RCs, RTs etc). For a 'normal' user to be able to post in the Dev forum they should have to be invited and approved by the Devs - and that right could be rescinded at any time.
That would have the secondary benefit of stopping the people who continually post useless cr4p just to get their post count up to 10

SimonTS said:
No. Bad idea.
The Dev forums should be locked to anyone who doesn't have special status on XDA (e.g. Devs, RCs, RTs etc). For a 'normal' user to be able to post in the Dev forum they should have to be invited and approved by the Devs - and that right could be rescinded at any time.
That would have the secondary benefit of stopping the people who continually post useless cr4p just to get their post count up to 10
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I agree... To a point, the problem is to get RD ir RC you have to post guides or dev work... Which normally should go in the development section.
It really is a hard one and nothing will ever please all
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I'm not so sure that an invite system would be neccesary... just have a simple I agree site that gives access to the dev forums and the halfwits who go through that just to post where they shouldn't could then be banned and do everyone in these forums a favor!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717

GinkgoBiloba said:
I'm not so sure that an invite system would be neccesary... just have a simple I agree site that gives access to the dev forums and the halfwits who go through that just to post where they shouldn't could then be banned and do everyone in these forums a favor!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717
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Umm, if you would propose that everyone who doesnt post in the correct section should be banned, then OP, you are kinda
stepping on your own feet...
As this thread belongs in About XDA...
As stated before, there doesn't seem to be a "one rule pleases all" compromise...
zacthespack said:
I agree... To a point, the problem is to get RD ir RC you have to post guides or dev work... Which normally should go in the development section.
It really is a hard one and nothing will ever please all
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Well, for RC, you don't *necessarily* need to create threads, and that too, in the dev section...
Afaik, guides belong to the general section, but there are also accepted in the dev section if it is directly related to development, or is there to prevent non-dev posts in dev area...
- Via xda premium

Yeah I can appreciate your sentiment but it's not a workable solution. Honestly I don't even think there's a problem, the mods are on their game and the 10 post rule helped weed out some people.

orangekid said:
Yeah I can appreciate your sentiment but it's not a workable solution. Honestly I don't even think there's a problem, the mods are on their game and the 10 post rule helped weed out some people.
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Actually, there must be something to keep them out of OT too, as n00bs come there frequently to increase their post count. I told two of them off today and I got ripped off for being a "party pooper". Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother.
One ****ing minute! - Billie Joe Armstrong at iHeartRadio Music Fest 2012

I just think if its important enough to keep the dev posts clean that they will lock them and then we get all the posts *****ing about misposts (worse then the mispost itself) then why not try something a little more locked down... why would a user like myself need access to post in a dev forum for?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717

GinkgoBiloba said:
I just think if its important enough to keep the dev posts clean that they will lock them and then we get all the posts *****ing about misposts (worse then the mispost itself) then why not try something a little more locked down... why would a user like myself need access to post in a dev forum for?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717
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If you had frequent SODs you could up a logcat, it's very basic stuff and could potentially help the dev out.
Good ideas are always good, and i frequent the HD2 and Galaxy Nexus forums quite a bit, 2 of the busier dev forums, and don't really see problems with this.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app